Graphical Abstract

• Tweet

Yamazaki, A., M. Honda, and H. Kawase, 2019: Regional snowfall distributions in a Japan-Sea side area of Japan associated with jet variability and blocking. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 97, 205-226.
https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj.2019-012   Graphical Abstract with highlights

Plain Language Summary: This study investigated the relationships between well-known dominant regional snowfall distributions in the Niigata area, intraseasonal jet variability over Eurasia, and atmospheric blocking. Snowfalls in plain (P-type), mountainous (M-type), and the whole (PM-type) areas of Niigata were controlled by quasi-stationary Rossby waves along the subpolar, subtropical, and both jets, respectively. Blocking over the Siberian regions enhanced cold air outbreaks intruding toward Japan and contributed the P-, M-, and PM-type snowfalls.

• Original PDF

Highlights:

• We focused on P-, M-, and PM-type snowfall variations in 10-day (bi-pentad or jun) timescale associated with anomalous large-scale circulations.
• Local snowfall distributions (10–10² km) can be determined by different large-scale (10³–10⁴ km) atmospheric circulations, which were evidently distinguished in the global reanalysis data.
• Quasi-stationary Rossby-wave packets along the subpolar and subtropical jets and Siberian blocking collaboratively or often independently contributed to the P-, M-, and PM-type snowfall occurrences.